Holder frame for interchangeable signs



. MANNING.

HOLDER FRAME FOR INTERCHANGEABLE SIGNS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 9. 1920.

Patented Oct. 17, 1922.

El P! INVENTOR 62m: MM/Wwa;

ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 17, 1922..

li li ltfifl.

CLYDE W. MANNING, OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA.

HOLDER FRAME FOR INTERCHANG-EABLE SIGNS.

- Application filed April 9, 1920.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLYDE W. MANNING, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Birmingham, in the county of Jefferson and State of Alabama, have .invented certain new and useful Improvements in Holder Frames for Interchangeable Signs, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention relates to a frame especially adapted for holding interchangeable signs or advertisements and more particularly for the holding of individual letter plates used for the formation of composite signs.

' Heretofoi'e interchangeable signs have been used, the individual signs being inserted in loose frames endwise, but such frames have not been adapted toclainp the signs so as to make it practical for them to be used upon a moving vehicle or where they would be subjected to shaking or rattling. My invention has for its object to produce such a sign frame in a comparatively inexpensive manner so that it will be sufliciently rugged and strong to withstand the strains and rough usage of a portable sign and yet which will permit the individual signs therein to be so firmly and securely held in place that they will not rattle or shift relatively. In this manner I open to advertisers a new field in that their rolling stock can be equipped with interchangeable signs capable of daily change at aminimum cost and with negligible labor.

Obviously my invention is suited for hanging signs for either displaying changing bills or varying advertisements, or to serve as a rack for holding signs or cards of tenants in buildings, in the latter case it being preferable to have the clamping members disposed vertically instead of horizontally.

More particularly the object of my invention is to design a holder rack or frame into which the individual signs or letters can be readily inserted and from which they can be readily removed. and yet which is adapted to hold such individual signs or letter firmly and positively in. position as to prevent rattling, displacement while in transit, or unauthorized removal.

When the frame is intended to ,be mounted upon a moving base it is preferable that the signs or letters he yieldingly clamped in place so as to prevent rattling or displace- Serial No. 372,719.

ment and when the rack or frame is intended for road or street advertising, the clamp frames are adapted to be locked so that any tampering with or removal of the individual signs or letters is prevented. For other types of frame any suitable latch means or fastener may be provided for holding the signs or letters assembled in the frame.

A further object is to design the frame of as light and inexpensive a character as possible consistent with the necessarv strength and rigidity to support the various signs, the frame being preferably built in units of a standard size which can be assembled to produce sectional signs of any desired size.

My invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification, and in which the preferredembodiments only of my invention are illustrated.

According to the drawings:-

*F 1g. 1 is an enlarged detail view of the holder frame with one of the clamps shown in openposition and with a typical letter sign indicated in dotted lines in position.

Fig. 2 is an end view of Fig. 1.

I Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are detail views showmg a spring latch as one means for holding the clamp elements of the frame together.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail view showing a sign clamped in'operating position in. the frame.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

According to the embodiment of my in-v vention illustrated in Fig.1, 1 show a holder frame comprising a plurality of vertical bars 1 which have attaching holes at their upper and lower ends and which are cross connected at intervals by pairs of spaced sign holding elements. It will be noted that the skeleton frame is thus braced and held together by the same elements which compose the actual sign-holding means. These elements comprise for each. row of signs a base 3 which is preferably formed of a strip of sheet metal bent lengthwise into a ii-shape to provide a bacl; member a and a front member 5 which provide between them a deep and preferably tapering recess adapted to snugly receive and clamp the bottom edge of the individual sign or display letter 6. If desired a rubber pad,

felt strip, or like pad 7 may be interposed in this bottom holder member 3 for the purposes of preventing rattling. The back 4 of each bottom member 3 is attached to the upright members 1 in any suitable manner. For each bottom member I provide a spaced top holdermember comprising a back bar 8 which is rigidly attached to the upright members 1 in any suitable manner, and a movable bar 9 which is preferably connected by hinges 10 to the vertical members 1 and is adapted to fold downwardly against the bar 8. Either bar 8 or 9 may be provided with a lining, such as 7, to provide a yielding pad to holdthe signs against rattling.

The ends of the bottom members 3 are clamped or secured together so as to prevent the endwise removal of the letter signs seated therein.

In order to positively prevent theremoval of the signs upwardly between the bars 8 and 9, the bar 8 is preferably provided with an out-turned flange 21 extending the length of its top edge and adapted to abut or'be lapped by the bar 9 inits closed position. In this way it is impossible for the signs to be slipped upwardly between these members. The ends of the bars 8 and 9 are arranged to project beyond the end up right members 1 and are provided with aligning holes 12 which are adapted to receive a pad lock 13 or equivalent means to draw together and lock the top members 3 I the holders of the middle series of letters is in open position. To introduce the letters or signs in this middle row it is only necessary to drop them into the bottom memher 3 and press them down thereinto in the desired order from left to right and when the pad locks and the closed ends of holders 3 will prevent endwise withdrawal while the abutting edges of the letters will prevent their relative displacement and they will all be firmly and without rattling in the sign frame.

This construction is peculiarly adapted for exposed signs where they are liable in be tampered with, but where the signs will be reasonably free from tampering instead of the positive locks as described I may use spring clamps such for instance as are illustratedin Figs. 3 and 5. Here the back bar 8 is provided at its end with a for-- wardly projecting tongue 14 provided on its inward face with a latch detent 15 disposed to engage the front bar 9 of the upper holder members. With this arrangement after inserting the sign letters it is only necessary to press the hinged bar 9 inwardly and it will snap past the catches and be held firmly in position.

When I refer to the upper and lowerholders members I do so without intending to limit myself as to whether the members are lying vertically or horizontally.

It Wlll be understood that the design and shape ofthe frame maybe variously modified as different conditions of use may require and that the detailed construction of the top and bottom holder members may be modified by those skilled in the art without departing from the underlying principles of my invention.

Having'thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is.:-

1. A holder frame for interchangeable signs comprising means to hold one edge of a series of signs, in combination with clamp means to engage and hold the other edge of the series of signs, said clamp means comprising a back member and a front menr ber hinged in spaced relationship thereto, and an inturned shoulder on one of said members adapted to close the space between the two members, in combination with means to hold the two members in position to clamp a sign positively between them.

2. A holder frame for interchangeable signs comprising transverse spaced elements adapted to hold between'them a plurality of individual signs, one element comprising relatively movable hinged members having a compressible pad between them, and means to fasten them in position to clamp one edge of the signs between them, and the other element comprising a rigid V-shaped member having a compressible lining toyieldingly hold the signs therein.

3. A holder frame for signs comprising a 

